Failure to Communicate
by panozdp
Summary: ONE SHOT: AU OOC The tragic results when we don't communicate clearly what we want, or what we mean.


Although this should be obvious, I don't own anything having to do with Naruto. This story has been bugging me for over a week so I decided to finally write it and publish.

Failure to Communicate:

"Hinata-sama, your presense is required by the Hokage." Hinata barely heard the voice of the chuunin that came to deliver the message as she sat in the Hyuuga estate's gardens trying to sort out her feelings from the last 24 hours.

"Hai." She said as she stood up and brushed off her pants.

She followed the chuunin, surprisingly, to the hospital. As she entered the chuunin pointed to the 5th Hokage and left. Hinata approached the Hokage and stopped a few feet from her.

"Hokage-sama?" Hinata said as she stopped. Hinata was too focused on her own inner turmoil to notice the sudden anger from the Hokage. Even if she had noticed, Hinata could not have stopped the slap the Hokage spun and delivered, sending the much smaller woman flying.

Hinata's world was out of focus. In fact everything was out of focus for her as the Hokage reached her and picked her up by the front of Hinata's jacket, leaving Hinata hanging in the air. Tsunade shook the girl and then began to yell.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO NARUTO? TELL ME NOW OR SO HELP ME I WILL KILL EVERY LAST HYUGA AND MAKE YOU WATCH BEFORE I KILL YOU TOO."

Hinata's mind reeled. What had she done to Naruto? What did she mean? As Hinata's mind cleared, the events of the previous day came back in a rush."I-I-I'm not s-s-s-sure what you m-m-mean Hokage-sama." It came out as a terrified whimper.

"Then I'll show you. Maybe this will jog your memory." Tsunade didn't yell this time, but the words held more malice than the yell.

Tsunade dragged Hinata to one of the operating theaters. As they entered Hinata could see the patient on the table was Naruto. She didn't want to get closer as she noticed the blonde was not wearing a shirt and his skin had a waxy sheen to it. Unfortunately she didn't have an option. As Tsunade brought Hinata closer, Hinata saw something that would be burned into her mind for the rest of her life. A large hole that looked like it had been made with some type of large bladed weapon was right where his heart was.

Tsunade practically threw the girl at the gurney. Hinata stumbled, catching herself on the rolling bed. She was quite for several minutes before she just collapsed. Tsunade, showing no mercy for the girl dropped a blood stained paper in front of Hinata. Hinata's brain functioned only enough to read the note.

_Hinata,_

_I just wanted to say goodbye and I understand why you hate me. I didn't want to tell you about the Kyuubi, but knew I would have to if I was to admit my love for you. So, to prove my love for you, I am giving you your wish. I will die so that you know that I truly loved you. Goodbye Hinata, I hope that one day you will look back at me without hate. I'm sorry I my love wasn't enough for you._

_-Uzumaki Naruto_

Tears came to her eyes and streamed down her face. "I never wanted this Naruto…" Her words were barely a whisper. Her screams of anguish could be heard across the village.

As the younger woman's cries rent the air, Tsunade could only smile in satisfaction. This girl was the cause of the boy's death. The note made that vary clear. And now the woman would tell Tsunade why the boy was dead.

"When N-, he told me he loved me I was overjoyed, but then he told me he was the container for the Kyuubi. I was confused and scared and just ran. I didn't know what to think, I didn't know what to do. I never wanted him dead. I loved him so much… I just couldn't process what he told me." The young woman known as Hinata hadn't moved since she collapsed next to the dead body of Naruto. Hinata didn't even realize that she was speaking. She had cried hard when the realization that he was dead and that her inability to show strength right when the one that had always inspired her needed her to be strong for him.

And now he was gone. He was gone and there was absolutely nothing that Hinata could do about it. She had seen the wound before she collapsed, he had been dead for hours before he was found. There was nothing anyone, not even the great Tsunade, could have done.

Hinata had not wanted to die more than she did right then. Had she seen any sharp object nearby she would have plunged it into her heart already. Maybe she could see Naruto and apologize.

Tsunade said only one thing before she left the room. "You disgust me girl. The man you claimed to have loved confessed his feelings and deepest, darkest secret to you alone, and you ran from him. You may as well have shoved the blade into his heart yourself. You are no longer a Shinobi of the Leaf." Tsunade left the room as another cry came from Hinata's throat.

A few days later, the funeral took place atop the Hokage tower. All of Naruto's friends were present but one. This lone person stood atop the Hokage Monument and watched the proceedings from a distance. As the few people began to place flowers, the pale eyed woman walked off the face of the monument.

With her eyes closed, Hinata plunged towards the village floor. Before impact four words were spoken. "Naruto, forgive me. Please."


End file.
